Evening and grading machine.



' P'ATENTED JAN. 22, 1907'.

3. P. NICHOLS. EVENING AND GRADING MACHINE.

APPLIG TIONF ED '9 A U MAR 1 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 841,809. PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

E. P. NICHOLS.

EVENING AND GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9

9 l 03 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'No. 841,809. PATENTED JANLZZ, 1907.

E. P. NICHOLS.

EJENING AND GRADING MACHINE.

APYLIGATION FILED MAB. 9. 1903.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

fie/03751 07 1 61067 2 $71 055, 2 9.. 9, y...-

wrlwsses:

No. 841,809. PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

E. P. NICHOLS. EVENING AND GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

wmiawm' I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ELMER" P. NICHOLS, on MANCHESTER, New HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOB To L ACENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MANCHESTER saw HAMP- SHIRE, A CORPORATION OF-MAINE.

EVENING AND GRADING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Jan. 22, 907

Application iiledflarch 9, 1903. Serial No; 146,817.

To all whom it mayconcern:

' to the thinnest ortion;n 1'e'ans Be it known that I, ELMER P. NICHOLS, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Man chester, county of Hillsboro, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in Evening and Grading Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying-drawings, is. a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is a machine for evening and grading soles, taps, counters, &o., for shoe manufacture and capable of adaptation to various other uses, the present invention being an improvement on the kind of device shown and claimed in my Patent No. 71 1 ,585", granted October 2 1, 1902, which is the pioneer 1n this art for automaticallysetting mechanism for evening leather and for automatically-setting mechanism for grading leather. The'machmetherein shown, however, sets the mechanism for operating on the leather with, reference solely to the thinnesso'f the leather at one oint, that pointbeing the place detected y the feeler'at the instant when the aging mechanism is tripped, and

is incapab e of setting the operatm mechanism so. as to even or grade the leat er to a uniform thickness, .or, in other words, it is incapable of setting the mechanisn'rdolwn to the thinnest portion of the stock or with re lationto the thinnestpo'f'tion of the stock.

-It is very desirable and in many instances essential that the automatic aging of the stock should take lace with re erence to the- "thinnest porti'ont ereof, or at least to the thinnest portion of a certain part of the piece 'oflaisher-as, for example, it is essential that-cut soles should be gaged with reference to the thinnest portion of the toe end, and, furthermore, the best class of out soles should begagedwith reference to thei'r'edges, in order to give erfect sole-rounded and. finishing effects W on applied to shoes.

Accordingly among the leading objects of my'invention are the provision of mechan ism which, if desired, may be relied 'u on for automatically grading'or evening the e'ather I p or following the'contour an gaging the materialf'adjacent both edges ineansjfor permitting the entire length of, the iece'of material to be traversed, if desired, 'efore setting the e;'

adjusting means permitting t i gage to e locked or setfor any rtion oi the stock-do sired; means forxequfl'in'gthestock to bai ed .j In the drawings, .E1

at a definite point in the rotation or move- .ment of the machine, thereby insuring uniformity of marking; an automatic marker fog; indenting or stamping the graded pieces with" a die, and other improvements, such as means for positively and accurately setting the grading-roll, &c.

Viewed in' its broadest features the machine which embodies my invention. comprises means for permitting the stock to pass in gaging relation to means for detectng the condition ofthe stock as toits'thickness or thinness and thereby automatically adjusting the mechanism which operates upon the stock with relation. tothe said con-- dition found to exist either throughout the whole portion of the stock or any desired part or area thereof. and then the stock-operating mechanism treats the stock in accordance with said automatic gaglng as, for in stance,-it cuts or evensolfthe stock to a uni.- form thickness or to a uniform thickness for a desired portion thereof, or it classifies or grades the successive pieces of stock, with reference to the automatic gaging aforesaid, so that all the pieces of one condition may be distinguished from the. others, and while these various operations may be a'ccom plished'in various Ways I prefer to embody them all in one machine, as herein shown. In some 'lnstancei t is desirable, however, to have the gra mechanism embodied in a "machine by .itse f, so that the soles, for ex-.

ample, which have been automatically branded or classified in such a way as to permit the corresponding grades to be bunched to ether may be thereafter run through an or ary skivin'g-machine, said machine-be ing set by hand to pile grade for the entire bunch of soles of that grade and then set ,to another grade forthe next bunchor package of soles. This is only one of the various subcombinations or modifications included herein.

too

tion passed over by the feelers, immediately elevation.

tion.

elevation of one of the edge followers and feelercarriers. tion taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail in rear elevation showing the guard of the gaging mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the machine viewed from the lefthand side, the driving-shaft being shown in section. Fig. 6 shows the machine in front Figs. 7 and 8 show, respectively in front elevation and top plan, the upper roll-carrying frame. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the machine,

In its general construction and plan of o eration my present machine resemblestl ie patented machine above referred to, in that 5 it contains feed-rollers, gaging mechanism, grading or marking mechanism, and evening means, .thepieces -.of stock being fed in between feed-rollers andengaged by feelers or gage-adjusters and thence fed to the mechanism which operates upon it according to the determination of the gaging mechanism, the leading feature of difference, howevena being that my present machine treats the leather with reference to the thickness of the 1 entire piece or a given area theneof.

anisms,'said broad features inclu for automatically determining all the evennesses of the leather and reserving the erminati n, 'SQ thatthereupon the leather may be treated concrete result of said entire with reference to this automatic determine,

condition of the stock .at' successive points over its entire area or a given ortion thereof, the gaging or adjustingmec anism receives andpreserves all the successive adjustments determined b all the thin spots, forinstance, passe over by the feeling means, and then when the leather has been felt of over the rescribed surface this gaging mechanism, w ch has thereby been automatically adjusted to correspond to the thinnest poriwhich is provided for operating upon the stock, such as the cuttin -means and the grade-designating or gra e distingflishin means or whatever means.may be provide l for engaging or acting upon or with reference to the stock whose grade has been ascertained. g

The leather is fed between upper and lower feed-rolls a a, the former being mflunted in journal box or carrier a Figs. 7 and 8, movable up and down in guideways a and carrying, as herein shown, a air of feelers a. a of special pattern, these eeleISI being loosely Fig. 4 is a vertical crOss-sec- ,lehther.

As the feelers detect the diflerences in mounted on the shaft of the roll, as clearly shown at a, and having lower bearing ends a" for resting on the upper surface ofthe These feelers or detectors detect the thin spots with relation to whose grade or level the leather mustbe shaved or cut off so asto get it all reduced to one uniform thickness, and in order that there may be no possibility of defective results in this respect they are-placed properly inrelation to means for pressing or holding the leather flat down andsmoothing out the wrinkles and uneven I nesses due to the natural tendency of leather to curl or bend when permitted to do so, and

while 'thislar-rangement of parts may be pro- -vided at any desired place in the machine it the en a ing ends thereof-traveling in longi- While I have, shown specific mechanism and. have herein described the same in detail for accomplishing the various results, I desire I to point out that the broad features of the invention considered as such, are .not to be confused with the mechanical details, but may be embodied in a widevariety of mechmeans 1 xholders or edge fo lowers being slidingly mounted on opposite fixed. rods 0, 0. .separated, .as shown, for giving steadiness and a freedom osliding movement for permitting the feelers to maintain proper posltion under all circumstances.

. The legs or edger's a bear against the opposite edges of the strip and cause the feelers to follow the contour of the sole or other piece .of material being gaged, thefeelers be:

cause oftheir loose mounting on the shaft of.

the roll a, heingfree to rise and fall, thereby detecting the thin spots and the'edgers co- 0. eratingtherewith to detect the thin parts ong the edges. The respective feelers carry at their respective ends rack-bars 41 as a convenient ICC means of operating the gaging devices, said 7 rack-bars :being m engagement with segmental racks a) on a shaft it, provided with .a

rigid lever a, connected by a link a to a neath machine for convenience and cooperating witha rack a .on the upper side of a slide-bar a and with a pawl a, carried by a slide-b tr or carrier .0, to regulate the setting of the gaging mechanism. The bar a is' also provided with a rack a in engagewith .a gear a, carrying eccentrics or crime c on a. shaft a, journaled beneath the outgomg end of the machine, for adjusting -sh1eld-plate or guard a", arranged underthe stock treating. or engaging mechanism, the latter-being herein shown as consisting of grading apparatus for distinguishing or; classifying one grade of leatherfroni anotherand evening mechanism for reducing the stock to the-thickness desired.

The plan of o oration is that as: the feelers detect the stoc they automatically govern the gaging mechanism, which has just-been described, and at the proper moment the latter is automatically set and is then caused to adjust the stock-treating apparatus in accordance withithe thinness of the area of the stock detected. The cams a? engage adjustable studs d mounted in yokes a, connect ed by bolts a to the j ournal-boxes a of the upper age-roll a, normally under tendency to rise y means of springs s, the stock beingv held up thereto by a lower roll a, in position;

tobe engaged by a cuttingknife or-other cutting; mechanism a; This construction cooperateswith the-othen mechanism to ins sure uniform and accurate evening of the stock, as-it prevents any ossible movement.

of one end ofithe gage-r l'relatively tothe otherend-o1; any impropen shifting, ofsaid roll, because thegage-roll is held rigidly against upward movement, being connected unyieldingl-y by the tie-barsa and yoke a with the studs e bearing on the under side ofthe cams.

The segmental raeksu are mounted to turn freely on the shaft-a when moving-up wardly but they engage saidishaftito rotate the; same whenmoving downwardly by any convenientmechanism, being shown in Fig. 9

asprov-ided with shouldered lugs a, adapted to enga e-o positel-y-shouldered lugsa of a central 100 a, fast on the shaft (1), so that the feelersoan move freely 11 Ward 1y without changing the gagessetting evice when-any thick pertionsoflea-ther pass beneaththem, but will delicately adjust. saidga e-setting mechanism to the thinnest point wiich may come beneath eitherof them.

To regulate the extenti of the material for; whose thinnest portion-the gaging mechanism is to-be ad usted, I provide meansfor preventing the aforesaidautonia-tic detecting mechanism from operatingfora givenpon tion of the-length ofthe. stock or, mother words,- I provide means for rendering thesa-me-ino ,erative for-such portion of the stock. asmay e desired, said means being hereinshown as comprising a locking roll or device w mounted in a hanger a, adjustably se curedito the-outturned end of a rod at",

whose other end-(see Fig. 9). is provided with a depending bar orstrip ai normally inde pressing engagement with a detent or: pawl a, (pivoted onithe frame beneath the guard a", see Figs. 1 and 6,) adapted to be held upward by a spring a (whenever the pressure of saidttrip isremovedtli'erefrom) to engage arack a on the under side of the guard e Thus until the piece of stock is fed forward sufficiently to strike the locking device a the gaging mechanism is not permanently adjusted by the feelerstoany thickness, inasmuch as theguard a moves freely back and forth without any permanent result; but as soon as the piece of stock engages and lifts the device a the trip-a isthe-reby lifted from the detentc, so that thereafter the guard. a can move to'the right only or, in other words, reoe'l'vesuch adjustment only as: iscaused by the. downward move-- ment-of the feelers, thereby transmitting and retaining all the successive increments of-adjustment as each successively thinner; spot is detected. Hence when the pawl a is reciprocated it-will be permitted ;by said guard to engage with the teeth of the rack a at a point corresponding to the thinnestiportionof'the stock fed through beneath the feelers.

The stri of'leather is fed forward by any suitable eedingmechanism, an endless sprocket-chain feed 12 being herein shown, and

u on the stock may be set in accordance with t e aforesaid adjustment of the gaging mechanism it becomes necessary to set-orfix the gaging mechanism. For accomplishing this result I' rovide that as the stock is fed 'forward its orward end-operates a gage-setting 5 mechanism, preferably of the automaticclutch type, herein shown as a setting-roll c, adjustabl-y mounted by hangers-c on arod c journaled atc above the roda and con nected-atits opposite end at c by abar 0 to a lever c pivoted at c to the frame and normall resting against adog-c mounted at c on the inner face of, a wheel 0 adapted to engage a clutch c, continuously rotating on a shaft 0 said clutch being carried by a sleeve Whose pinion c.- isodriven by agear 0, fast on a s rocket-wheel c driven by a sprocket-chain a", passing over. the main driving-shaft c";

The operating: of the settingroll c, as stated; causes the wheel 0 and its shaft 0 and disk c to be thrown into clutched engagement with the continuously-running mechanism of the machine,las stated, so that thereby the pawl-carrier e is forcibly reciprocated, and its pawl 01, is permitted to engage therack-bar a, according tov the position of the guard with relation to the teeth thereof, whereupon the movement of the rack-bar al acts through its rack a to rotate the cams (L andthereby accurately set the age-roller.

T e normal position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 1, the arrangement bein such that the wheel c performs one revolution and isthenautomatically permitted to stop, this'provi'sion insuring that the setting move ment shall be invariably correctwhether .he

thickness determined'bc lessor greater than that of the preceding piece of leather fed through the niachine, and the first movement of the pawl-carrier 0. is to the right, its end engaging a shoulder a of the bar a and moving the latter with it, so as to permit the gage-roll to be separated. from the knife and also insure that the parts will be set to the thickness determined by the feelers whether said thickness be less or greater than the determined thickness of the preceding piece fed through the machine, the movement of the pawl-carrier a being re 1 versed when the disk c has passed a semirotation, said disk continuing its rotation until it again reaches the point shown in Fig. 1, when the clutch is automatically thrown out by the enga ement of the dog 0 with the lever c, which has meanwhile dropped into its normal position by the disengagement therewith of the bar 0",(said bar being mounted on the frame of the machine to slide freely lengthwise for lifting the lever c, but held against movement to the left therewith, Fig. 5, so that when said lever is lifted to a certain extent the previously engagin notches of the lever and bar automatical y disengage, permitting the lever to drop, the same in principle as in my previous patent.)

The under feed-roll a is driven by the ear 0, which meshes with a gear 0 on the s aft of said roll, said shaft at its opposite end being provided with a pinion 0 meshing with a gear 0 provided atits outer face with a pin 0, adapted to engage once in every revolution with one arm of a bell-crank lever 0 whose other arm carries a segmental rack c, in engagement with a gear 0 meshingwith a ratchet-gear 0 on a shaft a, carrying a disk 0 provided with opposite lifting pins or projections 0 0 adapted to engage, successively, the projecting or overhanging capplate or arm of the stamping-frame to the rear lower end of which is journaled a dial-like die-wheel 0 which carries on its edge, in relief, the numbers or characters to be stain ed into the leatherl and on .its face proper figures or reading matter to indicate to the operator the position to which it has been set.

The setting mechanism for this dial or marking device comprises in the embodiment herein shown a gearr, fast on the shaft which carries the eccentrics a, said gear meshing with a pinion 0 (see Figs. 5 and 6) in mesh with the beveled pinion c at the lower end of a shaft 0 provided at its upper end with a sprocket-wheel 1:, engaged by a sprocket-chain c (see Fig. 9,) passing over a sprocket-wheel c, in which freely slides a shaft 0, to which said wheel 0 is keyed, said shaft 0 at its lower end being provided with a bevel-gear c, meshing with a gear a on said dial 0 thereby insuring that the dial will be set in exact accordance with the adjustment of the gage-roll by the eccentrics 0.

I prefer to cause the marking mechanism to deliver a hammer-like die impression upon the leather and for this purpose have provided the lifting devices or cam-pins c 0 which permit the marking device to be 'suddenly released, and I also employ means for driving the same downward forcibly, herein shown as an arm pivoted at c and held under strong downward pressure by a spring 0 The stamping mechanism and setting mechanism, &c., are caused to operate at the proper time by reason of the fact that the time of feeding the pieces of leather to the machine is regulated in that embodiment of my invention which is herein set forth.

I have provided on the inner face of the wheel 0 a pin a, which controls the time at which the feeding can take place, said control being herein". shown as by means of a gate 0 carried on an arm 0 projecting rearwardly beyond its pivot e in the path of said pin 0 so that when the proper time arrives for feeding a strip to the feed-rolls the gate will be lifted momentarily to permit the strip to be quickly shoved between the feed-- ing-rolls, and will then drop, barring further feeding until the time therefor comes around again. e

The main shaft 0 has a pinion e at its far end, Fig. 9, inmesh with a gear 0 on the shaft of the pressure-roll 0. and at its near end the driving-shaft has a gear 0 in mesh with an idler 0 which drives a gear 0 fast on the shaftofthe gage-roll a.

Adjacent the hub of the gear 0 is a sprocket-wheel 0 which drives, by means of sprocket-chain 0 a shaftc, whose sprocketwheel 0 drives the feed-chain b of the machine.

In describing my invention I have already set forth in a general way the operation of the machine, which may be summarized as follows: The operator stands at the front of the machine with the stock ready, and the moment that thegate c is raised he shoves the stock'to the feeding-rolls, which grab the same and carry it forward beneath the feelers, which follow along the opposite edges of the stock and rise and fall according to the changing thickness thereof. As one'or the other feeler falls its lug a engages the adjacent projecting shoulder a of the shaft a and through the connecting mechanism shifts the guard a to the right, Fig. 1, this gradual shifting of said guard to the right taking place by successive increments as each successively-thinner spot is detected by either or both'of the feelers as the stock is being fed along. This adjustment of the gaging mechanism is.automatically retained or made certain by the locking mechanism, which prevents the-guard from being shifted to the left. The feelers as herein arranged -may be rendered active or operativethroughout the whole length of the stock being fed or for a limited portion thereof, according to the desire of the operator, so that they will detect and set the gaging mechanism for-the thinnest spot of the entire piece or of a predetermined area thereof, according to the wishes of the operator. If he wishes to set the machine so that the locking mechanism will be operative for a portion only of-the length of the stock, he simply adjusts the lo'cking roll along its supporting-rod. For instance, it frequently happens that the heel end of a sole is thinner than the thinnest portion of the fore part, this undue thinness not, however, being seriously objectionable in shoe manufacture, as it comes at the heel end, where it is not subject. to wear, being covered by the heel, and accordingly instead of reducing the whole sole to the thickness of the thin heel end, which would waste unnecessarily this expensive stock, the machine is set so that the automatic evening and grading mechanism will. operate only for the fore part of the sole and will not grade relatively to the thinner heel portion. In this case the sole is fed heel first, and the locking-roll is adjusted far enough from the feelers to permit the heel end of said sole to have passed beyond the feelers before the stock engages the locking-roll, and therefore the gaging mechan-;

ism will be operated only for that portion of the sole thereafter in engagement with the feelers.

The setting-roll is preferably adjusted so that when the rear end of the stock is just passing from beneath the feelers the front end thereof will enga e with said setting-roll. The stock having een fed beneath the feelers and thega e-adjusting mechanism correspondingly shifted, the stock continues for- Ward until it escapes from beneath the setting-roll, whereupon the gaging mechanism is set in operation, and by the time the stock reaches the same the gage-roll has been set accurately to the thinnest point detected by the mechanism already described. Also just prior to the stock reaching the cutting mechanism the die or marking apparatus has been automatically set to correspond to the setting of the gage-roll, and as the stock passes beneath the same the tripping mechanism thereof is released, permitting the die to stamp the stock properl It is necessary that the gate a and other main features of the machine shall operate in synchronism, by which I do not necessarily mean in unison or simultaneously, but that one shall operate as often as the other, the mechanism being provided to insure that for every piece of stock that is let into the machine by the raising of the gate the. setting mechanism shall operate once, and the dieing mechanism shall, also operate once at the proper time to die the piece of stock that has reachedit and the grading or evening mechanism shall be set.

By providing the form of feelers and guid.

ing arrangement thereof shown I am enabled stock to the machine before the preceding piece is properly out of the Way.

The provision whereby the feelers are brought in vertical alinement with the axis of the top roll a is of value, as it insures that the stock will be engaged by the feelers at the point where it is held down flat against the bottom roll, or, in other words, there is no chance for inaccurate or improper gaging of the stock, inasmuch as the two rolls necessarily pinch or straighten the stock out fiat and the feeler or feelers engage the same at this very point.

By the term grading I mean either designating, as by marking, or in any other way differentiating or classifying the different grades of stock. On some of its features, as already intimated, I intend to base broad claimses, for instance, in certain of my claims, Where it will be noticed that I have omitted some features of the machine-the reason therefor being that advantageous commercial results may be produced by the subcombinations of parts, omitting the other parts or using said subcombinations with new or additional parts.

By removing the knife or whatever form of dressing or evening mechanism is pro,

vided the machine will grade and mark stock rapidly and accurately, and this is also truewhere the preferred form of feeler or detecting mechanism shown in my present drawings is used or the apparatus shown in my before-mentioned patent or modifications of either of these, the mechanism shown in my present drawings affording, however, greater variety of adjustment, especially as to the extent of stock or proportion of each piece over which the grade-setting mechanism may operate, and it will be understood that the gaging mechanism may be employed in connection with any other device which it may be desired to -o erate uponthe stock inaccordance with t e-gaged results of the feelers or detecting devices.

For lack of a better generic term to cover the mechanism which is gaged I call it the leather -engaging meansor grade-indicating means, as its primary oflice is to engage the leather pieces for the purpose of usefully perpetuating the determinations of "the-feels: means. The leather engaging means or grade'indicating means serve to classifythe leather either directly or indirectly by marka, yoke a, and studs a bearing directlyagainst the cams strongly. mounted in the frame. This prevents any possible movement of one end of said gage-roll relatively to the other or any shifting in position.

It will be understood that I have herein described my invention in its preferred embodiment only and that it is capable of wide variety of mechanical embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broader features and as covered in certain of'the less-restricted claims appended hereto, and while my present invention is subordinate in its general idea and foundation principles to my before men'- tioned patent it contains also certain broadly new features, as will be more apparent from the claims, and accordingly I do not intend to restrict myself otherwise than as expressed in said claims, taken in connection with the rest of the specification.

This case is intended to cover generically the broad features of invention which are common to the specific constructions in my copending applications, Serial Nos. 219,755, 257,587, and 325,224.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A machine of the kind described, comprising leather-engaging mechanism for operating upon the leather pieces, detecting mechanism arranged and operating toascertain the thinnest spot in a considerable portion of the length of the stock, and utomatic means controlled by the detectin mechanismfor regulating said leather-engaging mechanism with reference to the said ascertained thinnest spot of the predetermined length of stock. Y

2. A machine of the kind described, coinprising grade-indicating means to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, means for detecting a plurality of the thin spots of a prescribed areaof said leather,

means for predetermining and varying the.

extent of thestock on which said detecting means shall operate, and automatic means constructed and operating to adjust said grade-indicating means to the thinnest of the plurality of thin'spots detected in'said area.

3. A machine of thekind described, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, provided with means for indicating the grade of successive pieces of leather according to the thickness of an extended length of each leather piece, and automatic mechanism for automatically detecting as the stock is'being fed the thinnest spot, throughout a considerable portion of the length of the leather, over which said mechanism passes and for adjusting said grade-indicating mechanism according to the thinnest of the thin spots detectedby said automatic detecting-mechanism.

4. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, adjusting devices for adjusting said mechanism, said devices including means for detecting, thin spots throughout a considerable portion of the length of the leather being fed through the machine, and setting mechanism for thereafter operating said adjusting devices according to the thirmest of the aforesaid thin spots detected by said detecting means.

5. In a machine of the kind described, mechanism to operate on the stock, means for feeding the stock thereto, and automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, including separate feelers independently movable according to the thickness of the stock, and means for locking said automatic means to correspond to the extreme position assumed at any time by either of said feelers.

6. A machine of the kind described, comprising leather-engaging means, detecting mechanism constructed and operating to detect thin spots at a plurality of points at each of the edges only of a died piece, and mechanism responsive to said detecting mechanism constructed and operating for adjusting said leather-engaging means to the thinnest of the plurality of thin spots detected by said detecting'mechanism.

7. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather,

and automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective of variations in contour of said edges.

8. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, and automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective of varations in contour of said edges, and means responsive. to said edge engagement for adjusting said grade-indicating mechanism according to the'thinnest of the thin spots detected by said detecting means.

-9. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an unven piece of leather, automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means for engaging the leather along the entire length of the edges of the piece, and means for adjusting said grade-indicating mechanism according to the thinnest spot of the plurality of thin spots detected in said engagement.

10. A machine of the kind described, comprising stock-engaging mechanism for operating upon the stock, automatic mechanism including edge thickness detecting means constructed to detect along a crooked edge, for governing said stock-engaging mechanism With reference to the thinness of the edge portions of the stock.

11. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-indicating'mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, and automatic 'means for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means for engaging the leather-at the edges thereof;

and mechanism for causing said detecting means to follow the contour of said edges.

12. A machine of the kind described, com- .prising grade-indicating mechanism to indi cate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, and detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof, constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective of variations in contour of said ating to set said grade-marker in accordance edges, and mechanism governed bysaid detecting means for adjusting said grade-indicating mechanism to the thickness of the thinnest portion detected thereby.

13. A machine of the kinddescribed, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, and detecting means for engaging the leather at the edge thereof, mechanism for causing said detecting means to follow the contour of said edges, and-mechanism governed by said detecting means for adjusting said gradeindicating mechanism to the thickness of the thinnest portion detected thereby.

14. In a machine .of the kind described, feeding mechanism for feeding stock, opposite feelers for engaging the opposite edges of the stock being fed, mechanism to operate on the stock, connections between said feelers and said mechanism for setting the latter by the former, and means constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective ofvariations in contour of said edges.

15. A machine of the kind described, comprising a grade-marker, detecting means constructed and operating to detect a plurality of spots of varying thickness of a leather piece, and gaging mechanism responsive only to the movement of said detecting means to the thinnest of said spots detected, said gaging mechanism being constructed and opervarying thickness of said leather piece, and

gaging mechanism responsive to said detecting means, constructed and operating to retain a plurality of successive increments of detected thinness as each successively-thinner spot is detected and to set said marking means to mark the leather piece in accordance with the thinnest of said plurality of spots detected by the detecting means.

17. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-marking means for marking the grade of uneven leather pieces, means for detecting the thin spots at a plurality of distinct, separated places in a prescribed area of said leather, and automatic means responsive to said detecting means for adjusting said. grade-marking means with relation to the thinnest of said plurality of spotsdetected in said entire area.

18. A machine of the kind described, domprising grade-marking means for operating upon the stock, and a gaging mechanism for automatically adjusting said grade-marking means, including thickness-detectors and automatic means for transmitting and retaining a plurality of successive increments of detected thinness as each successively-thinner spot is detected in said stock.

19. A machine of the kind described, comprising means for marking the grade on a leather piece, means for detecting a plurality of thin spots in a prescribed area of sail leather, means for predetermining'and varying the extent of the stock on which said detecting means shall operate, and automatic means constructed and operating to adjust said marking means to the thinnest of the plurality of thin spots detected in said area.

20. A machine of the kind described, comrising a marking device, provided with means or marking successive pieces of leather according to the thickness of an extended length of the leather, and automatic mechanism for automatically detecting as the stock is being fed the thinnest spot throughout a' considerable portion of the length of the leather over which said mechanism passes and gaging mechanism for retaining each successive increment of thinness as it is detected and for adjusting said marking device according to the thinnest of the thin spots detected by said automatic detecting mechanism.

21. A machine of the kind described, comrising'means for marking the grade on a eather piece, adjusting devices for adjusting said means, said devices including means for detecting thin spots throu hout a considerable portion of the lengtho the leather being mechanism including means for hol ing it set to the thinnest (portion determined thereby as the stock is fe 2-3. A machine of the kind described, comprising rade-marking means for marking the grade 0 uneven died-out leather, and automatic means constructed and operating to adjust said grade-marking means to the thinnest edge portion-of theleathe'r.

24. A machine ofthe kind described, comprising grade-marking means for marking the grade of a died-out piece of stock, and automatic mechanism including means for determining the thickness of said stock at a pluralit'y of distinct, separated places for a given portion of the edge of the stock length, and means for-setting said marking means with relation to the thinnest spot of said given portion at its longitudinal edges.

25. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for marking the grade on a leather piece, and automatic means for adjusting said grademarking'mechanism, in cluding detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof, constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective of variations in contour of said edges.

26. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for marking the grade on a leather piece, and automatic means for adjusting said grade-marking mechanism, including detecting means-for engaging the leather at the edges thereof, constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective. of variations in contour of said edges, and'means responsive to said edge engagement for adjusting said grade-indicating mechanism according to the' thinnest of the thin spots detected by said detecting means.

' 27., A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for marking the grade on a leather piece, and automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means whose position is regulated in accordance with the contour of the leather piece, constructed and operating to maintain its relative position irrespective of variations in contour of the pieces being graded.

28. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting oif the thicker portions of'uneven leather, means for detecting thethin spots at a plurality of distinct, separated places in a prescribed area of said leather, and automatic means responsive to said detecting means for adjusting said'mechanism with relation to the thinnest of said plurality of-spots detected in said en.- tire area.

29. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism 'for operating upon the stoqk, said mechanism including means for cutting off the thicker portions thereof, and gaging mechanismfor automatically adjusting said, operating mechanism, including thickness-detectorsand automatic means for transmitting and retaining a plurality of successive increments of detected thinness as each successive thinner spot is detected in said stock.

30. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting .ofi the thicker portions of uneven leather, means for. detecting a plurality of thin spots in a prescribed area of said leather, means I for predetermining and varying the extent of the stock on which said detecting means shall operate, and automatic means constructed and operating to adjust said mechanism to the thinnest of the plurality of thin spots detected in said area.

31. A machine of the kind: described, com prising leather-engaging mechanism for operating upon the stock, automatic mechanism including detecting means constructed and operating-to govern said mechanism with reference to the relative thinness of a pluralityv of different places over an extended area of the stock, and means for preventing said automatic mechanism from operating for a given portion ofthe length of the stock.

32. A machine of'the kind described, comprising means for evening or cutting off the thickenportions of uneven leather, provided with means for'evening successive pieces .of leather according tothe thickness of an extended length 0f each leather piece, and auto matic mechanism for automatically detecting as the stock is being fed the thinnest spot throughout a considerable portion of the length of the leather over which said mechanism passes and for adjusting said evening means according to the "thinnest of the thin spots detected by said automatic detecting mechanism. I i

33. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker portions of uneven leather, adjusting devices foradjusting said mechanism, said devices including means for'detecting thin spots throughout a considerable ortion of the length of the leather being fed tiirough the machine, and setting mechanism for thereafter operating said adjusting devices according to the thinnest of the aforesaid thin spots detected by said detecting means.

34. A machine of the kind described, comprising stock-feeding mechanism, mechanism for evening or cutting ofi the thicker por- I said edges, and mechanism governed by. said tions of uneven leather, and automatic gaging mechanism for setting sald evening or cutting mechanism, said gaging mechanism including means for holding it set to the thinnei st portion determined thereby as the stock is ed.

35. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker portions of uneven died-out Leather, and. automatic means constructed and operating to adjust said mechanism to the thinnest edge portion of the leather.

36. A machine, of the kind described, comprising feeding mechanism for feeding a diedout piece of stock, and automatic mechanism for reoucing said stock to an even thickness for a given portlon of its length, said mechanism including means for automatically gaging said thickness with relation to the thinnest'of a plurality of distinct, separated spots throu hout a predetermined extent of each of its longitudinal ed es.

prising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker portions of uneven leather, and automaticmeans for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means forengaging the leather at the edges thereof, constructed and operating to maintain said edge engagement irrespective of variations in contour of said ed es.

38. machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thickerportions of an uneven iece of leather, and automatic-means fora justing said mechanism, including detecting means Wl'lOS position is regulated in accordance with the contour of the leather piece.

39. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker portions of uneven leather, and automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, including detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof, and mechanis'm for causing said detecting means to follow the contour of said edges.

40. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker portions of unevenleather, and detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof constructed and 0 crating to maintain said edge engagement irres ective of variations in contour of said e ges, and mechanism governed by said detecting means for adjusting said evening or cutting mechanism to the thickness of the thinnest portion detected. thereby.

41. A machine of the kind described, Guillprising mechanism for evening or cuttlng ofl the thicker portions of uneven leather, and detecting means for engaging the leather at the edges thereof, mechanism for causing said detecting means to follow the contour of detecting meansfor adjusting said evening or cutting mechanism to the thickenss of the thinnest portion detected thereby.

42. A'machine of the kind described, comprising feeding mechanism for feeding a diedout piece of stock, automatic mechanism for reducing said stock to an even thickness at its longitudinal edges, and means for preventing said automatic mechanism from operating for a given length of the stock, sa d mechanism-including means for operating it for the remaining length of the stock.

43. In a machine of the kind ,described, feeding mechanism for feeding stock, a feeler for engaging said stock as it is being fed, mechanism to operate on said stock, connections between said feeler and said mechanism for setting the latter by the former, and means causing said feeler to follow the edge of the stock. I

44. In a machine of the kind described,

' feeding mechanism for feeding stock, oppo- 37. A machine of t e kind described, comsite feelers for engaging the opposite edges of the stock being fed, mechanism to operate on the stock, connections between said feelers and said mechanism for setting the latter by the former, and means for causing said feelers to follow the contour of the stock.

45. In a machine of the kind described, mechanism to operate on the stock, means for feeding the stock thereto, including an upper roll, a feeler mounted coaXially of said roll and freely movable below the, same, but normally held down on the stock thereby,

.mechanism for operating on the stock, and

connections from said feeler to said mechanism for setting the latter according to the position of the feeler. e

46. In a machine of the kind described, means for flattening a piece of stock being fed thereto, a feeler for detecting thin spots in said stock, said feeler engaging thestock at the point where it is flattened, mechanism for operatin on said stock, and connections between said feeler and said mechanism for setting the latter according to the position of the former.

' 47. In a machine of the kind described, mechanism for operating on a piece of stock,

adjusting means for adjusting said mechanism, said means including a pawl and ratchet, a guard for controlling the point of engagement of said pawl with said ratchet, and means operated by the passage of said stock for limiting saidguard to movement in one direction for said adjustment.

" 48. In a machine of the kind described, feeding mechanism for feeding stock, feelers for detecting thin portions in said stock, mechanism for operating upon the stock, gaging mechanism for adjusting said operating mechanism according to the determination of said feelers and intermittingly-operating feedermitting means for causing the dissimu taneous feeding of the'stock and the operating of said operating mechanism.

49. A machine of the kind described, coinprising grade-indicating mechanismto indicate the grade of an uneven piece ofleather, mechanism for detecting the thinner portions of the stock passing through the machine, andfeed-controlling means for regulating the time of feeding of the successive pieces of stock to the machine.

50. A machine of the kind described, comprising grade-indicating mechanism to indicate the grade of an uneven piece of leather, automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, said means including devices for detecting the thinner portions of the stock passing through the machine, setting mechanism for operatin said automatic means according to the thickness detected by said detecting means, and means for preventing the feeding of a succeeding piece of stock to the machine to interfere with the operation of said setting mechanism for a preceding piece of stock.

51. A machine of the kind described, comprising means for marking the grade on a eather piece, automatic means for adjusting said mechanism, said means including devices for detecting the thinner portions of the stock passing through the machine, setting mechanism for operating said automatic means according to the thickness detected by said detecting means, and means for preventing thefeeding of a succeeding piece of stock to the machine to interfere with the operation of said setting mechanism fora preceding piece of stock.

52. A machine of the kind described, comprising a marking device, feeding mechanism for feeding stock thereto, means for detecting detecting means, a gate for normally thin portions of said stock, and setting mechanismfor setting said marking device by said reventing the feeding of stock to the machine, and means for operating said-gate and marking device iiisynchronism.

I 53. A machine of the kind described, comprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker ortions of uneven leather, mechanism for etecting the thinner portions of the stock passing through the machine, and feed-controlling means for regulating the time of feeding of the successive pieces of stock to'the machine. f

54. A machine of the kind described, coinprising mechanism for evening or cutting off the thicker portions of uneven leather, automatic means for adjustingsaid mechanism, said means including devices for detecting the thinner portions of the stock passing through the machine, setting mechanism for .operating said automatic means according to the thickness detected by said detecting means, and means for preventing the feeding of a succeeding piece of stock to the machine to interfere with the operation of said setting mechanism for a preceding piece of stock.

55. A machine of the kind described, comprising a marking device, tension means tending to move said device for forcibly .marhing, automatic gaging mechanism for setting said marking device according to the thickness of stock being fed, and means for releasing said tension means for moving said marking device with a hammer-like blow when set.

56. In a machine of the kinddescribed. feeding mechanism for feeding stock to the machine, feelers for detecting thin portions in said stock, a die, automatic adjusting mechanism for said die connected with and operated by said feelers, and means for actuating said die, including a lifter passing into lifting connection with said die for positively lifting the same, andpassing suddenly out of said connection when the die is lifted to permit the die to descend upon the stock.

57. In a machine of the kind described, feeding mechanism for feeding stock to the machine, feelers for detecting thin portions in said stock, a die, automatic adjusting mechanism for said die connected to and operated by said feelers, and a rotary lifter passing into lifting connection with said die for lifting the same, and passing out of said connection when the die is lifted, and means for forcibly depressing said die when released by said lifter.

58. A machine of the kind described. comprising mechanism for evening or cutting ed the thicker portionof uneven leather, said mechanism including an adjust-able art, and automatic means for adjusting sai part according to the thickness of the leather being fed, said adjusting means including a device having an inclined surface movable into position between said art and the supportingframe thereof, and unyielding connections for transmitting the strain directly to said frame.

'59. In a machlne of the kind described, cuttin mechanism, a gage device movable toward and from said cutting mechanism, rods supporting said gage device and carrying a bearing, a cam journaled between said gage device and said bearing and enga ing the latter, and automatic means operate by the passage of stock to said cutting mechanism for rotating said cam and thereby adjustin said gage device.

60. n a machine of the kind described,

feeler mechanism for feeling'the thickness of a piece of leather at a plurality of places, grade-indicating means, gaging mechanism responsive to said feeler mechanism and constructed and operating to adjust said gradeindicatin means to indicate the thinnest of all of said plurality of places felt of, and

feeler mechanism for feeling the thickness of grade-indicating means, gaging mechanism 1 means for determining the particular portion 01' the leather iece for which said gaging mechanism shal be res onsive. i

61. In a machine 0 the kind described, feeler mechanism for feeling the thickness of a piece of leather at a plurality of places, grade-indicating means, gaging mechanism responsive to said feeler mechanism and constructed and operating to adjust said gradeindlcating means to indicate the thinnest of all of-said lurality of places felt of, and means to vary t e extent of the effective responsiveness of said gaging mechanism to said feeler mechanism. 1

.62. In a machine of the kind described,

a piece of leather at a plurality of places, grade-indicatmg means, gaging mechanism responsive to said feeler mechanism and constructed and operatmg to adjust said gradeindicating means to indicate the thinnest of all ofsaid plurality of places felt of, and means actuated by the leather piece for con-v trolling-the effective res onsiveness 'of said gaging mechanism to sai feeler mechanism,

63. In a machine of the kind described, feeler mechanism'for feeling the thickness of a piece of, leather at a plurality of places,

responsive to said feeler mechanism and constructed and operating to adjust said gradeindicating means to indicate the thinnest of all of said plurality of places felt of, said gagindicatingmeans to indicate the thinnest of all of said plurality of places felt of, said gaging mechanism being normally in a nonres onsive condition, and means actuated by tiie passage of the leather piece-for rendering the-same thereafter responsive during a predetermined travel of the leather piece.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscrlbing Witnesses.

v ELMER P. NICHOLS. Witnesses:

GEo. H. WARREN,

ROBERT L'. MANNING. 

